the Persian king, after crossing the Dardanelles, attacked
the Greeks with an army and followers estimated at over 2,000,000. This
was about 480 B.C. It also lay in the route of Alexander the Great in
his march on Egypt and India commenced in 334 B.C. Later on it was
overrun by the Gauls, recovered by the Greeks, occupied by the Romans in
the 2nd century A.D., passed into the possession of the Venetians 1,000
years later, and was finally held by the Turks as a result of their
invasion of Europe in 1356. In 1807 a British naval squadron forced the
passage of the Straits but suffered considerable damage, when returning,
from large stone shot fired from the guns of the forts. Again, in 1853,
the British and French fleets sailed into the Sea of Marmara in support
of the Turks who were on the verge of war with Russia. At Bulair, in
March and April, 1854, the British troops on the way to the Crimea
landed, and, in conjunction with their allies, constructed across the
neck of the Peninsula the fortifications known as the Bulair Lines.

Following the outbreak of the great European War, Turkey, on the 31st
October, 1914, definitely threw in her lot with Germany. In order to
deal with the Ottoman, and at the same time restore communication with
Russia through the Black Sea route, the French and British Governments
decided to force the Straits. A bombardment was opened on the 3rd
November, 1914, but lasted for a few minutes only. On the 19th February
following, and succeeding days, a heavy bombardment was carried out and
small craft were engaged in mine-sweeping up towards the Narrows. Again,
on the 18th March, the attack was renewed--some ships penetrating the
Strait eight or ten miles--but the Turks loosed some large mines which
floated down and sunk three of the battleships. Now it became obvious
that the aid of land forces must be sought in order to deal with the
enemy defences. That task was committed to an army already assembling in
Egypt and on Lemnos Island. This army was under the command of General
Sir Ian Hamilton and was composed of a French Division, the 29th British
Division, the Royal Naval Division, and the Australian and New Zealand
Army Corps; the last-named formation being commanded by Major-General
Sir William Birdwood.

Very early in the morning of the 25th April, 1915, the attack was
commenced. The French troops landed at Kum Kale--on the Asiatic side of
the Strait; the 29th Division, and part of the R.N. Div